Without a Sound
{{Infobox album
| name = Without a Sound
| type = Album
| artist = Dinosaur Jr.
| cover = DinosaurJrWithoutASound.jpg
| alt =
| released = August 23, 1994
| recorded = 1994
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Alternative rock
| length = 45:42
| label = Blanco y Negro/Sire
| producer = J Mascis
| prev_title = Where You Been
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = Hand It Over
| next_year = 1997
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Without a Sound
| type = Studio album
| single1 = Feel the Pain
| single1date = 1994
| single2 = I Don't Think So
| single2date = 1994
}}
}}
Without a Sound is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released on August 23, 1994. It is the first Dinosaur Jr. album not to feature Murph on drums, who is replaced by vocalist and guitarist J Mascis. It is also their most commercially successful album, peaking at number 44 on the Billboard Top 200. "Feel the Pain" and "I Don't Think So" were released as singles, with "Feel the Pain" reaching number 4 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming one of their biggest hits. Mascis later admitted that his father's death hung over this album,{{cite news |last1=Donovan |first1=Thom |title=Dinosaur Jr.’s Top 5 Must-Listen Songs |url=https://americansongwriter.com/dinosaur-jr-s-top-5-must-listen-songs/ |work=American Songwriter |date=12 February 2024}} and he took three years to deliver the next Dinosaur Jr. LP, 1997's Hand It Over.
Production and background
J Mascis said the album was his hardest to write. His father had died around the time they were making the album.{{cite news |last1=Donohue |first1=Shawn |title=From Worst To Best Albums: Ranking The Ages of Dinosaur Jr. (LIST) - Glide Magazine |url=https://glidemagazine.com/168277/worst-best-albums-ranking-ages-dinosaur-jr-list/ |work=Glide Magazine |date=10 August 2016}} The cover artwork is a painting by former professional skateboarder Neil Blender, an early fan and friend of the band.{{cite web|author=Tweet July 1st, 2005 by Crossfire |url=http://www.caughtinthecrossfire.com/music/interviews-2/dinosaur-jr/ |title=Dinosaur Jr | Interviews | Caught in the Crossfire - Skateboarding in the UK since 2001 |publisher=Caught in the Crossfire |date=2005-07-01 |accessdate=2013-06-10}} The album title comes from a lyric in the song "Even You".
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last=Sendra |first=Tim |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/without-a-sound-mw0000626034 |title=Without a Sound – Dinosaur Jr. |website=AllMusic |accessdate=October 3, 2019}}
| rev2 = Chicago Tribune
| rev2score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}{{cite news |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/09/08/rearrangements/ |title=Rearrangements |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=September 8, 1994 |access-date=May 1, 2017}}
| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev3score = B+{{cite magazine |last=Frost |first=Deborah |url=https://ew.com/article/1994/09/16/without-sound/ |title=Without a Sound |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=September 16, 1994 |accessdate=May 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115124748/https://ew.com/article/1994/09/16/without-sound/ |archive-date=January 15, 2018 |url-status=dead}}
| rev4 = Los Angeles Times
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |last=Hochman |first=Steve |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-08-28-ca-32047-story.html |title=Dinosaur Jr., 'Without a Sound' (Sire/Reprise) |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 28, 1994 |accessdate=June 1, 2020}}
| rev5 = The Philadelphia Inquirer
| rev5score = {{Rating|2|4}}{{cite news |last=Wood |first=Sam |title=Dinosaur Jr.: Without a Sound (Sire/Reprise) |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=September 11, 1994}}
| rev6 = PopMatters
| rev6score = 8/10{{cite web |last=Soulsby |first=Nick |url=https://www.popmatters.com/dinosaur-jr-without-a-sound-2640575317.html |title=Dinosaur Jr.'s 'Without a Sound Deserves' – and Gets – a Fresh Listen with Cherry Red's Reissue |website=PopMatters |date=September 26, 2019 |accessdate=June 1, 2020}}
| rev7 = Rolling Stone
| rev7score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Diehl |first=Matt |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/without-a-sound-19941006 |title=Without a Sound |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 6, 1994 |accessdate=August 31, 2011}}
| rev8 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
| rev8score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Dinosaur Jr. |last=Evans |first=Paul |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=9780743201698 |page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/n251 238]}}
| rev9 = Spin Alternative Record Guide
| rev9score = 6/10{{cite book |chapter=Dinosaur Jr. |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor1-link=Eric Weisbard |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=9780679755746 |page=113}}
| rev10 = Uncut
| rev10score = 7/10{{cite magazine |last=Deusner |first=Stephen |title=Dinosaur Jr.: Green Mind / Where You Been / Without a Sound / Hand It Over |magazine=Uncut |issue=270 |date=November 2019 |page=39}}
}}
In July 2014, Guitar World put Without a Sound in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.{{cite web |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/superunknown-50-iconic-albums-defined-1994 |title=Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994 |date=July 14, 2014 |work=GuitarWorld.com |accessdate=July 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715053900/http://www.guitarworld.com/superunknown-50-iconic-albums-defined-1994 |archive-date=July 15, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
The closing song "Over Your Shoulder" was frequently used on the Japanese boxing reality show Gachinko Fight Club. In February 2019, 25 years after the album's release, "Over Your Shoulder" unexpectedly charted at number 18 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 based on digital streaming. The phenomenon was credited to YouTube postings of clips from Gachinko Fight Club registered as containing the song. For a period, clips from the series — which was a segment of a Japanese variety show — had frequently been favored by YouTube's algorithmic suggestions in Japan for unknown reasons.{{Cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/how-tv-pirates-accidentally-pushed-a-25-year-old-indie-1832532538|title=How TV Pirates Accidentally Pushed a 25-Year-Old Indie Song to the Top of the Charts in Japan|last=Hongo|first=Hudson|website=Gizmodo|date=11 February 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-17}}{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/a-25-year-old-dinosaur-jr-song-is-a-hit-in-japan-nobody-knows-why/|title=A 25-Year-Old Dinosaur Jr. Song Is a Hit in Japan. Nobody Knows Why.|website=Pitchfork|date=8 February 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-17}}
Track listing
All songs by J Mascis.
{{tracklist
| total_length = 45:42
| title1 = Feel the Pain
| length1 = 4:18
| title2 = I Don't Think So
| length2 = 3:35
| title3 = Yeah Right
| length3 = 2:45
| title4 = Outta Hand
| length4 = 4:59
| title5 = Grab It
| length5 = 3:31
| title6 = Even You
| length6 = 3:23
| title7 = Mind Glow
| length7 = 4:02
| title8 = Get Out of This
| length8 = 5:21
| title9 = On the Brink
| length9 = 3:11
| title10 = Seemed Like the Thing to Do
| length10 = 5:45
| title11 = Over Your Shoulder
| length11 = 4:52
}}
=2019 remaster bonus tracks=
In 2019, the album was reissued as an expanded 2-CD deluxe edition that contained bonus tracks, including a recording of a full live performance at Brixton Academy on October 8, 1994.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/dinosaur-jr-without-a-sound-2cd-expanded-edition/|title=Dinosaur Jr: Without A Sound, 2CD Expanded Edition|accessdate=May 31, 2020}} A double vinyl version was also released, albeit with a smaller selection of bonus tracks.{{cite web |title=Dinosaur Jr: Without a Sound, Deluxe Expanded Edition, Double Gatefold Yellow Vinyl LP |url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/dinosaur-jr-without-a-sound-deluxe-expanded-edition-double-gatefold-yellow-vinyl-lp/ |website=Cherry Red Records |accessdate=6 April 2020}}
{{track listing
|headline=CD 1: "Bonus Stuff"
| title12 = Get Out of This (No Words Just Solo)
| note12="Feel the Pain" single b-side
| title13 = Blah
|note13=from Melrose Place soundtrack
| title14 = I Don't Think So (Instrumental)
| note14 = previously unreleased
| title15 = Outta Hand (Instrumental)
| note15 = previously unreleased
| title16 = Get Out of This (Instrumental)
| note16 = previously unreleased
| title17 = On The Brink (Instrumental)
| note17 = previously unreleased
| title18 = Seemed Like The Thing To Do (Alternate Mix)
| note18 = previously unreleased
}}
{{ track listing
| collapsed =
| headline = CD 2: "Live In London, 1994"
| title1 = Freakscene
| note1 = previously unreleased
| title2 = Out There
| note2 = previously unreleased
| title3 = Get Me
|note3="I Don't Think So" single b-side
| title4 = Not You Again
| note4 = previously unreleased
| title5 = Grab It
|note5="Feel the Pain (Live)" Japanese-only EP b-side
| title6 = Feel The Pain
|note6="Feel the Pain (Live)" Japanese-only EP b-side
| title7 = Little Fury Things
| note7 = previously unreleased
| title8 = What Else Is New
|note8="I Don't Think So" CD single b-side
| title9 = Quest
| note9 = previously unreleased
| title10 = Thumb
| note10 = previously unreleased
| title11 = Sludgefeast
|note11="I Don't Think So" CD single b-side
}}
Personnel
;Dinosaur Jr.
- J Mascis - drums, guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Mike Johnson - bass, vocals
;Technical
- John Agnello - Engineer, Mixing
- Danny Kadar - Assistant Engineer
- Mark Miller - Assistant Engineer
- Brian Sperber - Assistant Engineer
- John McLaughlin - Assistant Engineer
- Bryce Goggin - Assistant Engineer
- Bill Emmons - Assistant Engineer
- Joe Pirrera - Assistant Engineer
- Bob Ludwig - Mastering
- Woody Jackson - Paintings
- Roger Mayer - Sound Effects
Charts
Album - Billboard (United States)
| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="width:550px;" |
| align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Chart !align="left"|Position |
|---|
| align="left"|1994
|align="left"|The Billboard 200 |align="left"|44 |
Singles - Billboard (United States)
| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="width:550px;" | ||||
| style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|Year
! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|Single ! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|Chart ! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|Position | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;" | 1994 | "Feel the Pain" | Modern Rock Tracks | 4 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Dinosaur Jr.}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Blanco y Negro Records albums
{{1990s-alt-rock-album-stub}}